Bangladesh protests: Air India flight from Dhaka with 205 passengers lands in Delhi

Amid political unrest in Bangladesh an Air India flight from Dhaka carrying 199 passengers and six infants landed in Delhi early on Wednesday morning reported news agency ANIAir India operated a special charter flight at short notice despite infrastructure challenges at Dhaka Airport late last night and landed in Delhi early this morning sources told ANIOne of the passengers on the flight an Indian national said that the situation in Bangladesh is pretty much under control now reported ANISpeaking to ANI the passenger Arpit said Its pretty much controlled now Its pretty much controlled Far much better From tomorrow everything is going to be working completely Factories offices banks colleges schools Everythings going to be okay reported ANIAsked whether he departed in a situation of panic amid Bangladesh protests Arpit said No no no It was all okay Though the airlines have also been opened up And I came to see my family just the family was worried reported ANIOn reports of people of a community being targeted he said For Indians it is not like that Everything is fine Its completely fine reported ANIAsked about the situation in Bangladesh following weeks of violence that led to Sheikh Hasina tendering her resignation and left the country to arrive in Delhi he said Everything is okay now even on the roads and highways everything is completely fine reported ANIArpit also mentioned that people are happy that Sheikh Hasina have left the country However smart people have said that it is a mistake and they will later realise it said Arpit stating that he would return to Bangladesh after two to three days reported ANIOn being asked about peoples reactions to Sheikh Hasinas resignation Arpit said People were really happy But on the other hand the smart people who have been politically connected they say that they have made a mistake Later on theyre going to realize it reported ANIBangladesh is facing a fluid political situation with Sheikh Hasina tendering her resignation from her post in the wake of mounting protests on August 5 The Bangladesh protests led mainly by students demanding an end to the quota system for government jobs evolved into antigovernment demonstrationsAnother passenger on the plane from Bangladesh that landed in Delhi said that the situation in the country normal reported ANIThe passenger said I have come to India for treatment reported ANIAnother passenger from Bangladesh Souradip Roy said Now everything is fine there there is no problem A lot of massacres happened over there and many students were killed Officially they say over 200 students were killed however unofficially it is more than 1000 students were killed He said that he is on a visit to India reported ANIAnother passenger from Bangladeshs Sylhet Tanveer said that the situation in Bangladesh is not so good not so bad reported ANISituation is not so good not so bad The interim government has taken the control ofthe country and we dont know what comes next But we hope for a better outcome he said reported ANIOn the 18th of July I saw it was like war zone in Bangladesh near my office in Uttara And after that there was a curfew and there were army and people getting killed in front of my eyes I even got a rubber bullet on my that hit me I even got police that had beaten me for coming out he added reported ANIMeanwhile Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has been appointed as the head of Bangladeshs interim government Dhaka Tribune reported Bangladesh Presidents Press Secretary Joynal Abedin made the announcementThe decision regarding the appointment of Bangladeshs interim government head was made during a meeting between President Shahabuddin and the coordinators of the AntiDiscrimination Student MovementOn Tuesday External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that there are an estimated 19000 Indian nationals of which about 9000 are students while ensuring the country that the government is in close contact with the Indian community in DhakaJaishankar informed the Lok Sabha that the bulk of the students returned to India in JulyWe are in close and continuous touch with the Indian community in Bangladesh through our diplomatic missions There are an estimated 19000 Indian nationals there of which about 9000 are students The bulk of the students returned in July he saidHe also said that Bangladeshs former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina requested approval from India to come at very short notice and she arrived on the evening of MondayOn August 5 demonstrators converged in Dhaka despite the curfew Our understanding is that after a meeting with leaders of the security establishment Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina apparently made the decision to resign At very short notice she requested approval to come for the moment to India We simultaneously received a request for flight clearance from Bangladesh authorities She arrived yesterday evening in Delhi he said reported ANIThe External Affairs Minister also mentioned that the government is monitoring the situation with regard to the minorities living in Bangladesh Jaishankar noted that ties between India and Bangladesh are exceptionally closeSince the election in January 2024 there has been considerable tensions deep divides and growing polarization in Bangladesh politics and this underlying foundation aggravated a student agitation that started in June this yearThere was growing violence including attacks on public buildings and violence continued in July We counselled restraint and urged the situation be resolved by dialogue Jaishankar said in his statement in Rajya SabhaHe said that the growing violence included attacks on public buildings and infrastructure as well as traffic and rail obstructionsThroughout this period we repeatedly counselled restraint and urged that the situation be defused through dialogue Similar urgings were made to various political forces with whom we were in touch Jaishankar saidWith inputs from ANI